OIL LEAKAGE/SEEPING ON THE POSTERIOR SIDE OF THE ENGINE BLOCK HEAD GASKET.
1996 Dodge Neon
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Neon years
Owner complaints for the 1996 Dodge Neon are substantially higher than the model-year median of 173.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Neon years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 38 of 611 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 340 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 93 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 88 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
611 reportsBRAKES FAILED.
ALL INSTRUMENTS, SPEEDOMETRE/ODOMETER, FUEL GUAGE, AND TEMPERATURE GUAGE FAIL INTERMITTENTLY. *AK
MAJOR OIL LEAK. I TOOK THE CAR TO TWO MECHNICS, WHO TOLD ME THE HEAD GASKET NEEDED REPLACED. I SPOKE TO THE LOCAL DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY, AND THAT THE JOB WOULD COST OVER $700. I LATER FOUND OUT THAT THIS IS A COMON PROBLEM AND THE REPLACEMENT PART IS NOT THE SAME AS THE ORIGINAL BECAUSE OF SOME DEF…
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MAJOR OIL LEAK. I TOOK THE CAR TO TWO MECHNICS, WHO TOLD ME THE HEAD GASKET NEEDED REPLACED. I SPOKE TO THE LOCAL DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY, AND THAT THE JOB WOULD COST OVER $700. I LATER FOUND OUT THAT THIS IS A COMON PROBLEM AND THE REPLACEMENT PART IS NOT THE SAME AS THE ORIGINAL BECAUSE OF SOME DEFECT. CHRYSLER STILL DOES NOT ACKNOWLEGE A PROBLEM?
GAS GAUGE FAILED.
BRAKES SEEMED LOW AND MECHANIC CHECKED, NO REPAIRS. WHEN DRIVING AT 30 MPH, APPLIED BRAKES AND EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE OCCURRED, WHEN PUMPING BRAKES THEY GET BETTER. DEALER NOT AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
DUE TO AN OIL LEAK THE ENGINE HEAD GASKETS HAVE BLOWN OUT. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
REAR SEAL ON ENGINE HEAD GASKET IS LEAKING OIL, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO BECOME DEFECTIVE. *AK
FIRST, WHEN IT IS COLD, MY BRAKES DO NOT WORK. AT FIRST THEY DO NOT GO TO THE GROUND AND THE CAR TAKES A LONG TIME TO COME TO A STOP. FORTUNATELY THIS HAS ONLY OCCURED WHEN CAR IS STARTED OR WHEN IT IS GOING LESS THAN 5MPH. INDEPENDENT MECHANIC LOOKING AT IT NOW. HAS REPLACED SOME BRAKES PADS AND SERVICES THE BRAKES. WATER …
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FIRST, WHEN IT IS COLD, MY BRAKES DO NOT WORK. AT FIRST THEY DO NOT GO TO THE GROUND AND THE CAR TAKES A LONG TIME TO COME TO A STOP. FORTUNATELY THIS HAS ONLY OCCURED WHEN CAR IS STARTED OR WHEN IT IS GOING LESS THAN 5MPH. INDEPENDENT MECHANIC LOOKING AT IT NOW. HAS REPLACED SOME BRAKES PADS AND SERVICES THE BRAKES. WATER WAS FOUND IN A VALVE FOR THE POWER ASSISTED BRAKES, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. THIS MECHANIC BELIEVES WATER IS GETTING INTO THE BRAKE LINE BUT IS UNSURE AS TO HOW. THE PROBLEM DOES NOT OCCUR EVERY TIME I DRIVE IT SO JUST WHEN IT SEEMS TO BE OKAY THE BRAKES FAIL AGAIN. ANOTHER PROBLEM IS THE WINDOWS. EVEN WHEN THE DEFROSTERS AND DEFOGGERS ARE ON, THE SIDE WINDOWS NEVER DEFOG, I NEED TO CONSTANTLY TURN ON REAR REFROST (EVERY 5 MIN OR SO) SO THAT I CAN SEE OUT OF IT. THIS IS A NEW PROBLEM THIS WINTER. I CANNOT SEE OUT PASSENGER OR DRIVER SIDE WINDOW WHILE DRIVING. A THIRD PROBLEM IS THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW, THIS IS NOT A NEW PROBLEM . EVEN WHEN THE WINDOW IS ALL THE WAY UP WIND HOWLS IN THE WINDOW. YOU CAN SEE A GAP AND IF IT IS RAINING WATER COMES IN. FINALLY THE LAST PROBLEM IS ALSO NOT A NEW PROBLEM. I DOES NOT SEEM TO BE RELATED TO THE LAST PROBLEM BECAUSE IT OCCURRED LONG BEFORE THAT PROBLEM. AFTER IT RAINS, WATER COLLECTS IN THE WELL BETWEEN THE INSIDE AN OUTSIDE OF THE DOOR (MOSTLY ON PASSENGER SIDE, BUT OCCASIONALLY ON DRIVERS SIDE) CONSEQUENTLY WHEN I OPEN THE DOOR A PUDDLE OF WATER FALLS OUT ON MY FEET. IN THE WINTER THE WATER IN THE WILL FREEZES MAKING IT DIFFICULT OT OPEN THE DOOR. I INFORMED THE DEALER OF THIS PROBLEM WHEN IT FIRST OCCURED AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT IT OCCURED WITH ALL OF THE CARS AND THAT IT WAS JUST A DESIGN FLAW AND THEY COULD DO NOTHING ABOUT IT. I LEFT IT AT THAT ALTHOUGH IT BOTHERED ME. I AM COMPLAINING NOW BECAUSE SO MANY THINGS SEEM TO BE GOING WRONG WITH THE CAR.
TRANSMISSION REBUILT BY AMOCO SAID ALMOST ALL PARTS WERE "CHEWED UP" NOW 1 YR LATER SLIPS GOING INTO 1ST AND HAS NO REVERSE THE HEAD HAS BEEN REPLACED 2 TIMES AND HAS GONE AGAIN SPPEDOMETER STAYS ON 0
Official recalls
296V075000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:master Cylinder
May 3, 1996
THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER CAN LEAK BRAKE FLUID DUE TO A DAMAGED DOUBLE LIP REAR PISTON SEAL.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: BRAKE FLUID LEAKAGE CAN RESULT IN DIMINISHED EFFECTIVENESS OF ONE HALF OF THE SPLIT BRAKE SYSTEM. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WARNING LIGHT(S) WILL SIGNAL SYSTEM IMPAIRMENT PRIOR TO PARTIAL BRAKE SYSTEM LOSS.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE REAR BRAKE MASTER CYLINDR PISTON ASSEMBLY.
96V026000 · Electrical System:wiring:front Underhood
Feb 5, 1996
AN ENGINE WIRING HARNESS CAN SHORT CIRCUIT DUE TO CONTACT WITH THE EXHAUST GAS RECIRCULATION TUBE..
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: SHORTING OF THE WIRING HARNESS CAN CAUSE VARIOUS ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTIONS, INCLUDING ENGINE STALLING.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REROUTE THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS PROPERLY AND ANY WIRE THAT HAS BEEN DAMAGED WILL BE REPLACED.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
2PE02082 · Safety Belt Cinching Latch Plate
Opened Nov 6, 2002 · Closed Apr 23, 2003
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts
THERE ARE NO INJURIES OR FATALITIES ASSOCIATED WITH THIS ALLEGED DEFECT.WHILE CONDUCTING THIS INVESTIGATION, ODI FOUND THAT THE SUBJECT CINCHES MEET THE LOAD BEARING REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD 208, AND THAT MANY OF THE REPORTED FAILURES WERE DUE TO INCORRECT CHILD SAFETY SEAT INSTALLATIONS. ADDITIONALLY, THE REPORT RATE IS LOW (1.60/100K).THE INFORMATION AVAILABLE FAILS TO ESTABLISH THE EXISTENCE OF A DEFECT TREND AT THIS TIME.FURTHER ALLOCATION OF AGENCY RESOURCES TO THIS ISSUE IS UNWARRANTED AND THE PRELIMINARY EVALUATION IS BEING CLOSED.
PE98012 · Underhood Fires
Opened Feb 26, 1998 · Closed Jun 23, 1998
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System
There is no summary currently available
Illustration